Good cotton crop will boost local economy

COTTON FARMING is the economic backbone of our region, and the estimate from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a good cotton crop for the Panhandle and South Plains is excellent news.

People who are not involved in agriculture sometimes have trouble seeing how a good cotton crop is good news for them. But success for agricultural producers translates to money that boosts the success of the entire economy.

Businesses that sell tractors and other farm implements obviously do a brisk business from the cotton profits, as do automobile dealers, furniture stores, appliance stores and many other types of businesses. Farmers and their families go to restaurants more, buy more clothes and spend more money for entertainment such as movies and local sports events.

At-a-glance

 Our Position: The fine cotton crop on the South Plains this year will boost the economy of our entire region.

 Background: Agriculture is the backbone of our economy, and cotton is the principal crop. The fortunes of Lubbock and the surrounding region are greatly affected by the success of the cotton crop.

 What Does This Mean To You: The local economy is positively impacted by money generated by a good cotton crop. All businesses will be more healthy. On the Internet: A story on our Web site, lubbockonline.com, about the expected success of the cotton crop is at: www.lubbockonline.com/stories/ 101307/loc_101307033.shtml

The businesses that do bigger business can afford to hire more workers, and that improves the local unemployment rate. And the money made by local businesses is used to spend money with other businesses.

"There is a saying that for every agricultural dollar made, it turns over seven times in this economy," said Pat Jones, the state president of Women Involved in Farm Economics and a former advisory member to our editorial board.

Not only will farmers make a good profit from their crops this year, they had to pay much less for energy bills than usual, Mrs. Jones said. Timely rainfall before and during the growing season meant much less water had to be pumped out of the ground for irrigation.

The weather cooperated with most area farmers this year. The producers generally had hot weather when it was needed, rain when it was needed and there was not much hail.

Cotton strippers are busy harvesting the crop all around the region, and the cotton gins are running, Mrs. Jones said. The fluffy white cotton bolls across the South Plains are being turned into the green of money.

"It is a bountiful crop this year," she said. "It is just beautiful."

That beauty makes our local economic outlook also look more attractive.